Hello, my name is Isabel Araneta. This past month, I had the privilege of visiting the Philippines, where my parents were born. The man on the right is my dad, and on the left is his 89-year-old Filipino teacher, Lolo Nick Mahigne, from when he was a kid. My dad told me that when he was younger, he would go to Lolo Nick’s house every day to become better in Filipino. It was so often that his teacher said you wouldn’t see them as teacher and student but as best friends hanging out.

Lolo Nick also shared news about his life. For starters, he is suffering from an illness that requires medication. Unfortunately, his doctor always prescribes him the most expensive medication, costing 2,000 pesos (about $35), even though his pension is 5,000 pesos (about $87) a month. The reason behind this is because the doctor gets a commission cut when he prescribes these medications. On top of this, he is still continuously paying off his debt from three hospitalizations that have cost about a few million pesos.

Hearing all of this made me wish I could do more. Although my goal will only help a quarter of it, anything is helpful, and I hope to at least help relieve some stress on Lolo Nick. I believe there are only a few teachers in life that can have an impact on their students the way Lolo Nick Mahigne impacted my dad, which is why it is our turn to make an impact on his life, no matter how big or small.